Emmett Till was a child when he was murdered in the Jim Crow South in August 1955. His death motivated the emerging Civil Rights Movement, for which Atlanta later became the headquarters. Only 100 days after Emmett’s death, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a Montgomery city bus and galvanized the Movement against violent segregation.
Over the years, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. remembered the impact of Emmett’s murder, invoking “the crying voice of a little Emmett L. Till, screaming from the rushing waters in Mississippi.” Eight years after Emmett’s death, Dr. King delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington on August 28, the anniversary of Emmett Till’s murder.
Confronted with the horrible murder of her young son, Emmett’s mother, Mamie, insisted that the world see what they did to her only child. She bravely shared her 14-year-old son’s story with all who would listen—and fueled a movement that changed the nation.
Emmett Till & Mamie Till-Mobley: Let the World See is a touring exhibition created in collaboration with the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley Institute, the Emmett Till Interpretive Center, the Till Family, and The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. It tells the story of Emmett Till and his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, and challenges visitors to make a ripple for justice in their own communities.
This touring exhibition is supported by National Endowment for the Humanities, Maddox Foundation, Institute of Museum and Library Services. Local sponsorship provided by The Rich Foundation.
Stipend Request Form
The form has been closed.